Sorting chute



. iwi? 29 1924 W. R. WATROUS SORTING CHUTE l atented Apr. 2%, 192% WILLIAM R. WATROUS, OF CHESTER, GONNEGTIGUT, ASSIGNOE T0 (1. J". BATES & SON,

OF CHESTER, CONNECTICUT, ELTON C. BATES.

A FIRE/i CQMPGSED 6F GARLTQN J. BATES AND HAKVL 'SORTING GZIUTE.

. Application filed July 11, 1923. erial No. 650,854.

2 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. lVA'rnoUs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chester, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sorting Chutes; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the characters. of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this application, and represent, in-

Fig. 1, a side view, partly in section, of

a sorting chute constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2, a transverse sectional view thereof.

Fig. 3, a similar view, showing the mouth provided with turning-shoulders.

This invention relates to improvement in sorting chutes particularly adapted for use in connection with machines 'for forming blanks for crochet hooks, stilettos, manicure sticks, and other articles which are tapered, and hence heavier at one end than the other. In forming articles of this general type, it is necessary that they should all be presented to the operating mechanism with the points in the same direction, and the object of this invention is to provide a chute by which the blanks will be delivered in proper position, and the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claims.

In carrying out my invention, I employ 'a chute 5, with a tapered mouth 6 substantially rectangular in cross-section but wider than the diameter of the chute. Transversely across the top of the mouth is a hai ancing bar 7 having an upper sharp edge S. Blanks 9, which have been previously out into desired form and larger at one end than the other, are delivered to the chute by any suitable conveyor, heroin represented by a belt-conveyor 10 having hooks 11 which supthat position.

port the ends of the blank and discharge them into the chute onto the edge oi the bar 4'. ihe side of the chute adjacent to the conveyor may be flared outward and'formed with clearance-notches 13, through which.

the hooks 11 will pass. The ends of the chute are formed with inset shoulders 12. W hen the blank is delivered by the conveyor, or has been placed upon the bar 7 the heavy end will drop downward andstrike one of the shoulders 12, and will rest on that shoulder while the smaller end falls downward into the chute 5, so that all the blanks, will be presented smaller end downward.

0n the other hand, if the blanks are to be presented large end downward, the shoulders 12 will be omitted, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, so that the blanks delivered to the bar '7 will fall, large end downward, and hence pass into the chute 5 in This insures the proper presentation of the blank to suitable mechanism for further operations.

I claim: a

1. A sorting chute, provided with amouth wider than the diameter of the chute, and a fixed transverse bar across the center at the upper end of the mouth.

2. A sorting chute, having a mouth Wider than the diameter of the chute, and'a fixed transverse bar extending across the center at the upper end thereof, and having a sharp upper edge.

3. A sorting chute, having a mouth wider than the diameter of the chute, a fixed trans verse bar at the center of the upper end oi the mouth, said mouth provided at opposite ends, below said bar, with shoulders.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

, NM. R. WATROUS. Witnesses:

S. R. GHARD, G. C. COLTON. 

